Judgement in ex-CJ Sinha’s graft case deferred again

A Dhaka court on Thursday deferred till November 9 the pronouncement of judgement in a case against former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha and 10 others for allegedly embezzling Tk 4 crore from the then Farmers Bank and laundering the money abroad.

Judge Sheikh Nazmul Alam of Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 passed the order this morning. This is the second time the court has deferred the judgement in the case. Earlier on October 5, the court deferred till Thursday the pronouncement of judgement.

Acting judge Ali Hossain of Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 had passed the order as the regular judge Sheikh Nazmul Alam was on leave on that day.

The 11 accused in the case are- former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, former chairman of the then Farmer’s Bank’s Audit Committee Md Mahbubul Haque Chisty alias Babul Chisty, vice-president M Lutful Haque, managing director AKM Shameem, senior executive vice-president Gazi Salauddin, first vice-presidents of the then Farmer’s Bank Swapan Kumar Roy and Shafiuddin Askaree, bank clients Md Shahjahan and Niranjon Chandra Saha, Niranjan’s uncle Ranajit Chandra Saha and Ranajit’s wife Santi Roy.

Earlier on September 14, Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 had set October 5 to pronounce the judgement as both prosecution and defence concluded their closing arguments in the case on that day. Earlier on September 6, four accused, Babul Chisty, M Lutful Haque, AKM Shameem and Gazi Salauddin placed written statements in their defence before the court.

Seven accused out of the total 11 in their statements in self defence on August 29, had pleaded not guilty and demanded justice from the court. These seven accused are- Babul Chisty, AKM Shameem, M Lutful Haque, Gazi Salauddin, Swapan Kumar Roy, Md Shahjahan and Niranjon Chandra Saha.

Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 on August 13, 2020, framed charges in the case.

ACC director Benjir Ahmed had filed the charge-sheet in the case with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Imrul Qayes on December 10, 2019. The court, however, on February 20, 2020, transferred the case to Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 for further proceedings.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on July 10, 2019, for embezzling Taka four crore from the then Farmers Bank and laundering the money abroad. Of the 11 accused, Md Mahbubul Haque Chisty alias Babul Chisty is in jail, while former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, Shafiuddin Askaree, Ranajit Chandra Saha, Santi Roy are yet to be arrested. The remaining six accused are on bail.